Friday, August 31, 2018

Great community project at the American Legion. Thank you to The Home Depot & Team.

Service to our community. A great start to the long holiday weekend.  Work at the American Legion, Marlin Moore, Post 133, in Palmetto Bay.

I want to personally and officially thank The Home Depot, Store #207: the Manager Tony Villaneuva and associate team.  It was my honor to join into the work and present a proclamation of thanks for The Home Depot service.

Team Home Depot Store #207

Home Depot Team, John Abell & members present of Post 133


It was a great day of service.  Councilman David Singer left his office early to join in and provide some hard labor - as well as a personal donation - Go David Singer!


Thank you to Team Home Depot! I am sharing some photos of those who performed some of the work, including Uber volunteer, resident Judy Stockman (photo below - center and in Pink).
 
Look mom - I am on a roof and painting! With Steve and Stephanie from Team Home Depot


Manager Lisa Lungaro with John Abell who donated lunch
Post members Billy Richards (left) & Paul Amato (right) with David Singer (center)


Related post: August 27, 2018, Are you available to help serve on Friday, August 31? American Legion is seeking volunteers. Thank you to The Home Depot

This was a very productive event.  Thank you to all who participated.

Your Mayor,

Eugene Flinn

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Report from the TPO. Here is an alleged preview of what the County has promised to deliver on in the next 3 years.

I appeared at the August 30, 2018 TPO meeting alongside with Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell, former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner and State Representative Kionne McGhee (not pictured).

The vote was 15 - 7 to select Bus Rapid Transit over Metrorail as the preferred option.  Pinecrest, a municipality presently served by two Metrorail stations (Dadeland North and South) was a promoter of this BRT.


Also see: Miami-Dade approves ‘rapid-transit’ bus plan over Metrorail expansion in South Dade, by Doug Hanks, where Homestead Mayor and BRT Proponent Jeff Porter was quoted as follows:

“It’s not going to solve everything,” Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter said of the bus system, which would serve his city. “But it’s a start. Bus-rapid transit gets us on the way to a transit system that works.”
If this system is actually implemented, it better solve traffic as this is all Palmetto Bay south to Florida City will ever see on the transitway in our lifetime.  

Here is an alleged preview of what the County has promised to deliver on in the next 3 years.




Taken from Miami-Dade County sources:
Preview of the South Corridor
The South Corridor will be an all encompassing approach to bringing contemporary mass transit solutions to Miami Dade County residents. Take a look at what the future South Corridor of Miami Dade County Transit will look like in the video below!

From an official Miami-Dade County Press Release:
MIAMI-DADE – The Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) took a historic step on Aug. 30 in selecting a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) to move forward with the first leg of the six-corridor SMART Plan.
The County can now move forward with applying for federal funds to pay for up to $100 million of the estimated $300 million project, which could begin service within the next few years and run along the existing South Dade Transitway from Dadeland to Florida City. “The selection of this LPA by the TPO today is a historic step toward delivering greater transportation options from the Dadeland area to Florida City on the South Corridor,” said Chairman Esteban Bovo Jr. “This long-overdue selection of premium rapid transit, which will feature many of the benefits of rail – including dedicated lanes, iconic stations with ticket kiosks, wide doors for group boardings, climate controlled and level boarding platforms, and rail-like gate arms to block traffic at intersections – places us in the right direction for the residents of South Dade. Ultimately, this action by the TPO will allow the County to partner with both the state and federal government partners on providing key matching funds that are crucial for the infrastructure needed to deliver on the fulfillment on the Miami-Dade SMART Plan.” See the premium rapid transit demonstration video here: https://vimeo.com/284857311/0bdb07a838

 My efforts continue as the County record of delivery on transit is poor at best.

You can count on me to maintain the efforts to force the County to keep their promise on transit and the 1/2 cent transportation sales tax.

Your Mayor

Eugene Flinn


Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Important DUV Zoning Votes – My opponent has a 100% approval rating for the Downtown construction.

Record distortion is a horrible thing. I am posting the actual voting record for the entire council in order to demonstrate that an opponent claiming to be "anti-development" is distorting the truth. Her votes, on the record, contradict the statements made in private when she goes 'door to door'. Where are these "anti-development" votes? She has actually voted more often for development in the downtown district than I have.  The truth matters. 

The following documents the votes taken on downtown zoning matters - these are votes that result in actual approval, providing authorization to build.

I also ask that you read the Miami Herald articles for more background, applicable links and quotes cited at the end of this post.  

5 important votes have occurred in the Palmetto Bay downtown area:

Atlantico      passed  4-0 (Vice Mayor absent)
Parkview      passed  4-1 (Flinn voted NO – opponent voted to APPROVE)
Sandpiper    passed  5-0
Soleste        passed  5-0
Shores         passed  4-0 (Vice Mayor absent)

Flinn’s opponent voted for each and every development - 5-0 - 100% for development!
Flinn voting record is 4-1 for the rental projects.

Details below:

Atlantico, June 20, 2016, Resolution 2016-051 - PASSED 4-0
17945 SW 97 Avenue

FCI Palmetto Bay, LLC made an application for a site plan, which included design considerations and a bonus floor, for the property at 179 SW 97th.

PASSED 4-0 (Vice mayor absent)
YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES   Council Member David Singer
YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
ABS   Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Atlantico, FCI –Street vacation, April 17, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 064 - PASSED 4-1
17945 SW 97 Avenue

The Village of Palmetto Bay vacates an approximate 5 foot strip of land along the eastern most portion of the 97 Avenue (Franjo Road) right-of-way for an approximate distance of 208 feet to FCI Palmetto Bay, LLC.

PASSED 4-1
YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES   Council Member David Singer
YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
NO     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Parkview, June 19, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 080 - PASSED 4-1
9420, 9450, and 9500 SW 174TH Street

PASSED 4-1
YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES   Council Member David Singer
YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois
NO     Mayor Eugene Flinn

Sandpiper – June 19, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 079 - PASSED 5-0
9701 WAYNE STREET

Indigo Gardens Developers, LLC made an application for a site plan entitled “Sandpiper Village of Palmetto Bay”, which included design considerations and bonus floors, for the property located at 9701 Wayne Street

PASSED 5-0
YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES   Council Member David Singer
YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Soleste - October 16, 2017, Resolution 2017-112 - PASSED 5-0

Estate Investments Group, LLC made an application for a site plan, which included design considerations, for the property located at 18301 South Dixie Highway

PASSED 5-0
YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES   Council Member David Singer
YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn


Atlantico, FCI - October 16, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 114   - PASSED 5-0
17945 SW 97 Avenue

FCI Palmetto Bay, LLC has agreed to contribute $500,298.46 to the Village of Palmetto Bay for the construction of a portion of Park Drive and theoretical SW 179 Street, both abutting the FCI Property as shown on the New Streets Plan of the DUVR.

PASSED 5-0
YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES   Council Member David Singer
YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Shores at Palmetto Bay, July 23, 2018, Resolution 2018-097 - PASSED 4-0
17800 SW 97 Avenue

Shores at Palmetto Bay made an application for a site plan, which included design considerations and a bonus floor, for the property at 17800 SW 97 Avenue.

PASSED 4-0 (Vice mayor absent)
YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES   Council Member David Singer
YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
ABS   Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

My opponent has largely been invisible in her vision for the Downtown.  I have always been on the record with the goals we are attempting to achieve.  Please review a past Miami Herald article: This city wants to change things up. What will it take for its downtown to be hot?
With hope of attracting more restaurants and relieving its traffic woes, Palmetto Bay is considering tweaking its downtown zoning code to restrict density, limit development incentives and rearrange land uses.
In 2015, the city passed its Downtown Urban Village zoning code, a plan designed to encourage economic investment in the the village’s distressed commercial corridor along Franjo Road and U.S. 1. The goal? To make Palmetto Bay’s core — mostly vacant land, scruffy buildings and warehouses — an urban center that’s more livable and walkable.
The pedestrian-friendly vision features interior, interconnected public walkways, widened and landscaped sidewalks, a civic plaza and twice the amount of required open spaces.
I have always been concerned with traffic. Smart, controlled growth is the key to protecting our community.  
“What’s missing are the retail stores, restaurants. How do we make sure to bring those in without having traffic explode?” Flinn said.

We cannot go back to the days of allowing the courts to dictate our growth, where the prior administration continued to get hammed by the courts and the developers obtained 100% of what they wanted from Court victories.

Additional recommended reading is also found in the Miami Herald, April 20, 2017: 300 apartments on U.S. 1? Palmetto Bay tells developers to think again, by Monique O. Madan
In this case, the development would be LEED certified. Developers of the project currently have the right to 74 units, and were asking for 226 bonus apartments — a number that the mayor called “obscene.”
“Your entire project is car-based. I haven’t heard any mention of trying to get people to the rail, no stops, circulators to come pick people up. Everything is about cars and parking spaces, as far as you’re concerned,” Mayor Eugene Flinn said.
Opponents argued that the development would inundate roads with traffic on streets that are already congested during rush hour.
          ***   ***   ***
Planners offered to donate $100,000 to the city, contingent on the plans being passed. Councilman David Singer asked the number be bumped up to $250,000. The mayor joked and suggested $1 million. At the end, talks about $2 million were on the table.
“You know what? I’d rather you keep your $2 million and scale down this project,” Flinn said. “And I really don’t buy the traffic studies. It lead to the conclusion that the traffic issue alone is enough to reject this project. I strongly recommend that you come back and rethink this thing.”

This project did come back for hearing in June. The glaring deficiencies were not sufficiently addressed in my opinion, so I voted "NO".  My opponent voted IN FAVOR.

Is she "anti-development"?  Hardly. 

Correcting the record. My opponent continues to dodge her votes in creating our downtown code. She owns a 100% approval record for creating it (as do I), but she also voted against extending the moratorium.

The facts presented in this post is an eye opener.  My opponent voted in favor of the DUV code that she now attacks. She needs to stop the record distortion and own it. She voted to approve the density, incentives - everything provided for within the code.

The ONLY vote where my opponent voted opposite any of my votes was on 7/19/2017, where she voted AGAINST extending the David Singer DUV Moratorium - Palmetto Bay Resolution 2017-97.  This resolution passed by a 3-1 vote (the Vice Mayor was absent). Palmetto Bay's Planning Department would have been flooded with applications for 8 story buildings had the moratorium extension not passed. Perhaps my opponent failed to understand the significance of this vote. The question is:

Did she fail to understand what she was voting or has she simply 'flipped flopped' on this issue?

Another truth is that this DUV code has won award for sustainability. See August 23, 2017, The Smart Growth Partnership - The Village of Palmetto Bay wins a smart growth award for its DUV Code.

Important DUV Code Votes

Date             Ordinance #            ITEM

12/14/2015    2015-19         AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO ZONING; CREATING SECTION 30-50.23, ENTITLED “DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE”, CREATING ZONING DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR A DOWNTOWN PALMETTO BAY DISTRICT; AND AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP; CHANGING THE ZONING OF CERTAIN LANDS AS DESCRIBED ON THE MAP AT ATTACHMENT A FROM R-1, SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT; R-2, TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT; R-4L, LIMITED APARTMENT HOUSE DISTRICT; R-4H, HOTEL MOTEL DISTRICT; R-O, BUSINESS OFFICE; MM, MIXED-USE MAIN STREET; MN, MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOOD; AND MC, MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL; TO DUV, DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE DISTRICT; IN PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT, CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  Yes; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Schaffer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)

PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member Tim Schaffer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

1/4/2016         2016-04         AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO ZONING; AMENDING SECTION 30-50.23, ENTITLED “DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE”, TO INCLUDE THE AMENDMENTS AT ATTACHMENT A; AND AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP BY CHANGING THE ZONING OF THOSE LANDS EFFECTED AS DESCRIBED AT ATTACHMENT B, FROM R-1, SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT; R-O, BUSINESS OFFICE; MM, MIXED-USE MAIN STREET; MN, MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOOD; AND LW, LIVE-WORK DISTRICT; TO DUV, DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE DISTRICT; IN PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT, CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.  (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  Yes; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Schaffer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)
PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member Tim Schaffer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

4/19/2017      2017-49         A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH DOVER, KOHL & PARTNERS & MARCELA CAMBLOR & ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $35,000.00, FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF REVIEW of the duv code and TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON changes to THE DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE CODE, AND TO GENERATE THOSE CODE CHANGES WHICH CAN BE CODIFIED IN THE FUTURE; and providing for an effective date. (Sponsored by Administration) (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  Yes; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)
PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

5/1/2017         2017-07         an ordinance of the mayor and VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, florida, RELATING TO A MORATORIUM ON CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE (DUV) ZONING DISTRICT;  ESTABLISHING A MORATORIUM (PROHIBITION) ON THE APPROVAL OF ANY RESERVE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (TDRs) AND/OR BONUS FLOORS UNDER THE DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE (DUV) ZONING CODE OR WITHIN THE DUV; PROVIDING THAT THE MORATORIUM IS ESTABLISHED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TIME TO ALLOW THE VILLAGE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER MODIFICATIONS TO THE DUV CODE, AND THE COMPLETION OF AN UP-TO-DATE COMPREHENSIVE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC IN THE DUV ZONING DISTRICT AND THE US1 TRAFFIC CORRIDOR, to conduct a Village resident survey and two town hall meetings; PROVIDING THAT THE MORATORIUM SHALL LAST until july 11, 2017 OR UNTIL THE MORATORIUM IS OTHERWISE ALTERED OR ABOLISHED OR THE DUV CODE IS AMENDED SO AS TO ADDRESS THE MORATORIUM ISSUE, WHICHEVER OCCURS EARLIER; PROVIDING THAT THE MORATORIUM DOES NOT APPLY TO PENDING SITE PLAN APPLICATIONS WHICH WERE FILED IN SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE FORM PRIOR TO APRIL 4, 2017; AND PROVIDING FOR AN effective date. (Sponsored by Councilmember David Singer and Village Administration) (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  Yes; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)
PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

7/19/2017      2017-97         A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO ZONING IN PROGRESS in the downtown urban village zoning district, PURSUANT TO SECTION 30-30.10; DURING the zoning in progress time period of 120 days THE COUNCIL WILL STUDY AND AMEND THE DUV CODE; the zip time period shall extend to THE EARLIER OF 120 DAYS OR THE FINAL ADOPTION OF THE VILLAGE’S REVISIONS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; FOR THE DURATION OF THE ZIP NO DEVELOPMENT ORDERS OF ANY KIND in the duv SHALL BE ISSUED; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Sponsored by Administration) (Vote 3-1:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  No; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Absent)

PASSED 3-1 (Vice-Mayor John DuBois absent for vote)
NO       Council Member Karyn Cunningham  (voted AGAINST extending the moratorium)
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
ABS     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

8/22/2017      2017-98         A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, authorizing the village manager to enter into a contract with dover, kohl & partners for an amount not to exceed $18,500, for the first phase of review of the duv code and to make line item changes to the existing downtown urban village code, and to generate those explicit decisions needed on the most critical issues to the duv code; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Sponsored by Councilmember Singer) (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  Yes; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)
PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

11/15/2017    2017-127       A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO ZONING IN PROGRESS PURSUANT TO SECTION 30-30.10; DURING WHICH TIME THE COUNCIL WILL STUDY AND AMEND THE DUV CODE; BY THE EARLIER OF 60 DAYS following the expiration of the existing zoning-in-progress resolution which is january 15, 2018 OR THE FINAL ADOPTION OF THE VILLAGE’S REVISIONS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; FOR THE DURATION OF THE ZIP NO DEVELOPMENT ORDERS OF ANY KIND SHALL BE ISSUED; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (sponsored by Administration) (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  Yes; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)
PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

11/20/2017    2017-132       A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO EXTEND A CONTRACT WITH DOVER, KOHL & PARTNERS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000, FOR THE second PHASE OF REVIEW of the duv code and TO make line item changes to the EXISTING downtown urban village code, and to generate those explicit decisions needed on the most critical issues to the duv code; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (sponsored by Councilmember David Singer) (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois:  Yes; Councilmember Cunningham:  Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)
PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

1/22/2018      2018-07         A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO ZONING-IN-PROGRESS (ZIP) PURSUANT TO SECTION 30-30.10; DURING WHICH TIME THE COUNCIL WILL STUDY AND AMEND THE DUV CODE; BY THE EARLIER OF 60 DAYS FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXISTING ZONING-IN-PROGRESS RESOLUTION WHICH IS JANUARY 15, 2018 OR THE FINAL ADOPTION OF THE VILLAGE’S REVISIONS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR THE DURATION OF THE ZIP, A MORATORIUM IN THE DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE (DUV) ZONING DISTRICT ON THE APPROVAL OF: ANY RESERVE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (TDR), AND/OR BONUS FLOORS UNDER THE DUV ZONING CODE OR WITHIN THE DUV; PROVIDING THAT THE MORATORIUM DOES NOT APPLY TO PENDING SITE PLAN APPLICATIONS THAT WERE FILED IN SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE FORM PRIOR TO APRIL 4, 2017; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (sponsored by Administration) (Vote 5-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois: Yes; Councilmember Cunningham: Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes)
PASSED 5-0
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
YES     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

5/14/2018      2018-69         A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO ZONING-IN-PROGRESS (ZIP) PURSUANT TO SECTION 30-30.10; ADOPTING A ZONING-IN-PROGRESS RESOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE (DUV) ZONING DISTRICTS DURING WHICH TIME THE COUNCIL WILL STUDY AND AMEND THE DUV CODE; BY THE EARLIER OF 60 DAYS FOLLOWING THE ADOPTION OF THIS ZONING-IN-PROGRESS RESOLUTION WHICH IS JULY 14, 2018 OR THE FINAL ADOPTION OF THE VILLAGE’S REVISIONS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; FOR THE DURATION OF THE ZIP, A MORATORIUM SHALL APPLY IN THE DOWNTOWN URBAN VILLAGE (DUV) ZONING DISTRICT ON THE APPROVAL OF: ANY RESERVE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (TDR), AND/OR BONUS FLOORS UNDER THE DUV ZONING CODE OR WITHIN THE DUV; PROVIDING THAT THE MORATORIUM DOES NOT APPLY TO PENDING SITE PLAN APPLICATIONS THAT WERE FILED IN SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE FORM PRIOR TO APRIL 4, 2017; PROVIDING FOR ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT AND SEVERANCE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Sponsored by Administration) (Vote 4-0:  Mayor Flinn:  Yes; Vice Mayor DuBois: Absent; Councilmember Cunningham: Yes; Councilmember Singer:  Yes; Councilmember Siegel Lara:  Yes) 

PASSED 4-0 (Vice-Mayor John DuBois absent for vote)
YES     Council Member Karyn Cunningham
YES     Council Member David Singer
YES     Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara
ABS     Vice-Mayor John DuBois
YES     Mayor Eugene Flinn

Monday, August 27, 2018

Are you available to help serve on Friday, August 31? American Legion is seeking volunteers. Thank you to The Home Depot

Please consider this our opportunity to help serve those who have served us.

A call to volunteers.  Work is currently going on at the American Legion Hall, Marlin Moore Post 133 in Palmetto Bay. The American Legion post is looking for volunteers to assist this Friday, August 31, beginning at 8:00 AM.  Are you available to help or know someone else who can?

 
I met with Homer, David and Danny, - they are Store Key Holders from Home Depot, Store #207, 19400 SW 106th Ave, Cutler Bay on Monday, August 27, 2018.  They updated me on the project along with Post Commander William Richards.

Officially, this is a big Palmetto Bay Thank You to The Home Depot – which has a "honoring our veterans" program, through which The Home Depot is providing a grant of $13,500 plus an army of volunteers – several working throughout this week, but Friday is the big day when the call goes out for “all hands on deck.” 30 Home Depot employees are expected to participate at once on Friday, August 31. 

This is our opportunity to get engaged in this community project and provide some service for those who served for us.

What    :             Volunteering for the American Legion, Marlin Moore Post 133 in Palmetto Bay. 16401 SW 90th Ave (American Legion Way), Palmetto Bay, Florida 33157

When   :             Friday, August 31, 2018, beginning at 8:00 AM (or as soon as you can make it).

Needs   :             Painting, sweeping, (generally policing the area) - working with shrubbery.
   There are many duties that they could use assistance. Dress to get dirty.

Special Note for Students - Community Service Hours available: Work is going on all week.  The American Legion Post can provide verification for Student Community Service hours after school, but project ends each day at approximately 6:00 PM.

For more information, please contact: Billy Richards, Post 133 Commander, (305) 253-2208.

CLICK HERE to view the official Facebook page for the American Legion Hall, Marlin Moore Post 133, Palmetto Bay.

CLICK HERE to view the Home Depot web page relating to its employee / corporate service to our veterans.

I hope to see you there,

Your Mayor,

Eugene Flinn

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Action taken by the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) to "unwind" the use of these funds for operations and maintenance.

Updates to the CITT and the 1/2 cent sales tax (as promised in my e-mail blast of Friday, 8/24/2018).

New developments relating to the ½ cent Transportation sales tax - on 8/23 - the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) overwhelmingly voted in favor of unwinding the unification of the surtax dollars next fiscal year. 

Thank you to CITT members Evan Fancher, Paul Scwhiep (Paul is a Palmetto Bay resident) and members of the CITT for the 6-1 vote. The vote prohibits county from raiding half-penny tax.
 
Why is this important? This removes use of the ½ cent sales tax money for operations and maintenance and makes this money available for its originally intended purpose.
 
Is it over? No. This action now goes to the County Commission for action.
 
An important step in achieving a more equitable & sustainable transportation system that respects what the voters mandated when they approved a half-penny sales tax
 
As I promised, I will continue to post updates and documents to this blog.

First update: See Miami Herald online, 8/25/18, by Doug Hanks: How an obscure Miami-Dade transit board may snag $95 million to expand Metrorail:
The Miami-Dade board that oversees the county’s half-percent transportation tax has launched an unprecedented attempt to cut off a $95 million subsidy of bus and rail operations in order to save the money for new transit projects.
It would be the first time the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust exercised its power to try to block the county from subsidizing operating costs with a tax that was intended to pay for expanding public transit. The tax generates roughly $290 million a year.

“Let’s just stop them from doing this,” board member Evan Fancher said before the Thursday vote to withdraw authorization for the County Commission to spend the tax on operating subsidies. “Let’s move forward.”
I will continue to keep you up to date on the progress.

Your Mayor,

Eugene Flinn